True Love's Kiss
by morelikeaghost
Summary: During the final battle with the Wicked Witch, Killian falls victim to a sleeping curse. Some spoilers for OUAT season 3.


Emma lay on the dirt floor of the barn, fighting to hang onto consciousness, determined to fight off the blackness descending around her. Zelena's last desperate spell had knocked them all to the ground and she'd cracked her head hard. Finally, Emma's ears stopped ringing and her vision cleared. She struggled to her feet, a little disoriented, staring in wary disbelief at Zelena's remains. The room was utterly silent except for a faint hissing that seemed to be emanating from the slowly expanding puddle of water seeping out around the steaming pile of clothes on the floor. Directly across from her, Regina, with help from Robin, had also regained her feet. Her eyes met Emma's, a smile tugging at her lips. Together they had done it – they'd defeated the Wicked Witch.

The silence was suddenly broken by Henry's loud yell, "MOM!" Emma staggered as he bowled right into her, practically knocking her back to the ground.

"Easy there, kid," she laughed, putting her arms around him and holding him tight. All around them, people were hugging one another and cheering. Over by the door, the dwarves were having a happy reunion with their missing brothers, the ones who just a few moments ago had been members of Zelena's legion of flying monkeys. Killing the Witch had apparently returned them to human form.

"Emma!" David shouted. He and Mary Margaret were suddenly there, embracing both she and Henry. "You did it! You broke the curse – we remember everything!"

The four of them stood with their arms around one another for a long moment and then Emma pulled back, studying her parents closely. David had a nasty gash on his forehead but no other injuries that she could see, and aside from a few dirt smudges on her face, Mary Margaret looked none the worse for the wear. Emma noticed Regina staring at Henry from across the room, watching their little family reunion longingly.

"Hey," she said softly to Henry, taking him by the shoulders and turning him around. "I think there's someone else who'd like to see you." Together, they approached Regina.

"Mom?" Henry said, tentatively, stopping a few feet away from her. Tears filled Regina's eyes.

"Henry, do you remember me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Yes," he replied, walking straight into her arms. "I love you."

"Oh Henry, I love you, too," Regina whispered, clearly overcome with emotion. She cradled Henry's head to her shoulder, tears streaming down her cheeks. Robin, standing just behind Regina, placed his hand on her back comfortingly. He smiled at Emma and she felt her own eyes filling.

Everyone was celebrating, the Wicked Witch was dead and the curse was broken, and yet…something was missing. Emma frowned, trying to think around the fuzziness in her head, and suddenly realization hit her like a splash of ice cold water. _Not something_, she thought with terrifying clarity, s_omeone_. Emma cried out, seized with such an overwhelming feeling of dread it literally brought her to her knees. Robin was at her side immediately, his hand cupping her elbow, helping her up. "Emma, what is it?" he asked, his voice full of concern. Regina and Henry were staring at her in alarm. Mary Margaret and David had heard Emma's cry and were now hurrying towards them.

"Killian," Emma gasped, clutching at her heart. "Where's Killian?" She struggled to recall the last moments of the battle, just before she and Regina conjured the waterfall that had brought about Zelena's demise. She thought she had heard Killian yelling her name, but she'd been concentrating so hard on the spell she couldn't be sure. David and Mary Margaret reached them just as a man called out, "Robin!"

They all spun around towards the voice. "John!" Robin exclaimed. Little John, returned to human form, approached them slowly, his speed hindered by the body draped over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. The victim was dark-haired, dressed entirely in black, and, Emma realized with a gripping terror, had a silver hook in place of his left hand. Completely clear-headed now, Emma ran to meet John, a strangled denial escaping her lips. Robin, Regina, Henry, and her parents were all close on her heels. Little John stopped when she reached him, gently lowering his burden to the dirt floor. Emma fell to her knees, tears flowing freely as she stared at the man on the ground in anguish.

"Killian," she whispered, taking his good hand in both of hers. His hand was limp and he appeared completely lifeless. She lowered her head to his chest – no heartbeat, no breathing. "No, you can't be dead!" Her voice rose into a wail.

Regina crouched down on Killian's other side as Mary Margaret sat beside Emma, embracing her. Henry and David stood just behind them, wearing identical expressions of shock and sorrow. Regina, her forehead knotted in concentration, placed a hand on Killian's shoulder. She frowned, fumbling with something sticking out of his shirt. The thin, silver object was oddly familiar. She grasped it with her fingers and pulled. It was a long hair pin, the last three inches of which were stained with blood. Regina pulled back the collar of his shirt, revealing a tiny puncture wound. She held the pin up, catching Robin's eye as the same memory washed over both of them.

"Oh," Little John said, remorsefully, his eyes on the pin. "I remember now. When I was a – " He couldn't seem to bring himself to say 'flying monkey.' He swallowed and tried again. "When I was…under the Witch's control, she instructed me to stab Emma with that pin. I waited until she was distracted by casting the spell, and then I made my move. She never would've even known what hit her, but Hook, he just came from out of nowhere and jumped between us." His voice shook. "I am so, so sorry, I – " Little John broke down, covering his face with his hands. Robin moved to comfort him.

"Emma," Regina said gently. Emma seemed to have gone catatonic, still holding Killian's hand, sobbing quietly. When she didn't respond, Regina reached out, placing her hand on top of Emma's. "He's not dead."

Emma's head snapped up, locking eyes with Regina. She regarded the woman who had once been her most formidable enemy for a long moment. It was suddenly blatantly clear to her that Regina was no longer simply a reluctant ally. At some point she had become a true friend. More than a friend, even – she was part of their family. Concern and sympathy were written all over her face as she returned Emma's gaze, but her eyes also held something else – hope. Emma's heart skipped a beat.

"He was stabbed with this pin," Regina explained, holding the object out to Emma. "It's been dipped in a sleeping potion. A sleeping potion that I made, back in the Enchanted Forest. Mixing up that potion was the first thing I did when I got back to my castle. I didn't have anything to live for then…I planned to use the pin on myself, but Zelena stole it from me the first time we met."

"Mom," Henry said, urgently. Emma looked up at him. "You can wake him, I know you can. With True Love's Kiss."

"I – I don't know," Emma stuttered, uncertain. "What if it doesn't work?"

"It will work, Emma," Mary Margaret said, squeezing her shoulders. "Regina said it would be impossible to get back to this world after she reversed the Dark Curse, but Hook – Killian – he found a way. He gave up the only thing he had that meant anything to him – his ship – just to get back to you. And even though you had no memories of us or your life here in Storybrooke, somehow he got you to drink that memory potion in New York. I know you, Emma – you're a skeptic. There's no way you would've believed him unless you recognized him on some level." She smiled, a little wryly. "Just like I recognized your father here in Storybrooke even before you broke the first curse. True love will always find a way." Emma smiled just slightly, through her tears.

"We all know how you feel about him," Mary Margaret continued. "Even though you've been reluctant to admit it. I won't pretend that your father and I didn't have some doubts at first – he _is_ a pirate – but really we just want you to be happy. That's all we've ever wanted." She gave Emma one final squeeze before holding out her hand to David, who helped her to her feet.

"Go on Emma," David added. "This is your happy ending. Take it." He motioned for everyone to stand back. Emma took a deep breath and studied her family, drawing strength from their support. She looked at her parents first, seeing only love and acceptance in their eyes. Henry, standing between his grandparents, nodded at her encouragingly. Regina had also gotten to her feet and was now tucked beneath Robin's shoulder, her arm around his waist. They smiled at Emma, together. Farther back, she saw Mr. Gold and Belle, trying to keep a respectful distance but still obviously concerned. Looking at them, Emma thought of Neal, and remembered his last words to her, "Don't make the same mistake I did. Don't let fear stand in the way of love."

Emma turned away from her family and gazed down at Killian, tears sliding down her cheeks. She closed her eyes for a moment, little snippets from their lives together replaying in her mind. Meeting him for the first time in the Enchanted Forest. Their adventure on the beanstalk. Killian, still Captain Hook to her then, gazing into her eyes while dressing her wounded hand. Her heart aching when she left him behind in Anton's castle. The sword fight at the portal, his shameless flirting. The happiness she'd felt watching the Jolly Roger sail back to Storybrooke just when she'd thought she'd lost Henry forever. Their journey to Neverland. All those little moments on the island: sharing a drink on the Jolly Roger, Killian's adorably shy attempts at bonding with her, him saving David, _oh my god_ kissing him, his admission in the Echo Caves, the look in his eyes when he promised to win her heart. Their goodbye at the Storybrooke town line. One year later, Killian showing up on her doorstep in New York. His endless patience with her as she fought to hold him at arm's length. The look in his eyes when he told her he'd traded the Jolly Roger in order to get back to her. And right now, this moment when she finally realized he was the _one_ man in her life who had _always_ shown up for her, fought for her, believed in her. He'd offered her his love but ultimately left it up to her whether or not she wanted to accept it. Emma opened her eyes. She no longer had any doubt – she chose him.

Tenderly, Emma took Killian's face in her hands, her thumb caressing the faint scar on his cheek. Time slowed down and the world contracted until it seemed to hold only the two of them. Sending out a silent prayer, Emma pressed her warm lips to Killian's lifeless ones, her tears dripping onto his face. Immediately she felt the shock wave of magic reverberate through the room as the sleeping curse was broken. Beneath her, Killian stirred, drawing in a breath against her lips. She pulled back slightly, watching as dark lashes fluttered open to reveal those beautiful blue eyes she loved so much.

"Swan?" he said, groggily. "What the bloody hell happened? Is it over, did we win?" he asked. He tried to sit up but Emma put her hand on his chest, holding him down gently.

"The Witch is dead – we won," she replied, amused by all of his questions. Killian looked around, realizing that he was lying on the ground with Emma kneeling by his side while the others stood a short distance back, watching them.

"Why am I…on the ground?" he asked, uncertainly.

"You were under a sleeping curse," she said softly. "This time, I saved you." Emma could see him processing the situation in his head, comprehension dawning. He searched her face, a question in his eyes.

"Does this mean you love me?" Killian asked, wonderingly. He reached up with his good hand, laying his palm against her cheek. Emma leaned into his touch, smiling through the happy tears that would not stop falling now that he was safe.

"Yes," she whispered. "I love you. Now just…shut up and kiss me."

"As you wish," he whispered back. He pulled her down next to him, rolling them over so she was beneath him, and kissed her with so much love and longing it took her breath away.

5


End file.
